After recent reports that the Government was considering scaling down the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), fresh reports have surfaced that the university has lost the services of Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration.)

It has also emerged that construction, which is currently ongoing in Palapye, is behind schedule, which may result in yet another postponement of the opening date.

Although the members of staff who passed information to The Sunday Standard indicated that Dr Julia Saurazas had serious differences with Vice Chancellor Kweku Bentil over key policy aspects, the university’s Director of Communications and Publicity said the departed academic could not keep up with the high demands of setting up an ambitious project such as [continue reading]

GABORONE – There are no plans yet to utilise the teaching facilities at Oodi College of Applied Arts and Technology in the interim as the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) continues to build on its capacity in Palapye.

BIUST Director of Communications and Public Affairs said this reacting to rumours that there was a possibility that BIUST students nay be temporarily accommodated at the college as an interim measure while awaiting the completion of the university facilities.

Mr Shakie Kebaswele told BOPA that the plan is to open the university in 2011 and to have the first batch of students commence classes in August of that year.

He said the progress of the founding development construction structure was regularly being monitored on site and the contractor understands and appreciates the need to complete work on time to allow the university to [continue reading]

The much anticipated Botswana International University of Science and Technology is scheduled to become a reality with its first intake in 2011.

The University is constructed on a 2500 hectares which the founding Vice Chancellor, Kweku Bentil, said the owners of the land were compensated.

BIUST Communications and Public Affairs director, Shakes Kebaswele, in his welcome remarks said they have undergone challenges, which turned out to be stepping stones to progress.
He said that people should not be mistaken that the university is for Palapye residents only.

“Every Motswana is entitled to it and should take pride in promoting it as a national university,” he said.

PALAPYE: Despite suffering a few initial setbacks, the construction of Botswana’s second university is on track, the site manager Chen Yu Qiang has said.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) (BIUST) was done in May this year. Chen said the project experienced a serous shortage of Chinese foremen, which delayed things by three months. Chinese Civil Construction, the company in charge of the project, had planned to engage the services of 45 Chinese foremen but so far only 16 have been recruited. Chen said if they are unable to get all the 45 Chinese foremen, they will resort to hiring locals.

Building started last month (April) on Botswana’s long-delayed specialist science and technology university. It is hoped the university will stop the ‘brain drain’ of students going to other countries to study.

Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), a public-private partnership, is under construction in the city of Palapye, 270 kilometres north of the capital, Gaborone.

The university will focus on engineering, mining, geology and basic sciences. John Cooke, the first and only geography lecturer at the University of Botswana when it opened in the early 1970s, has been appointed founding dean of the new university’s science faculty.

BIUST’s vice-chancellor Kweku Bentil, a civil engineer, told SciDev.Net that the first stage of the university includes laboratories and on-campus residences for 256 students and 70 staff. Registration for first-year students from across Africa is due to start in March 2011. Later plans include a research park.

“The government of Botswana spends millions of dollars each year to support approximately 7,000 Botswana students at [continue reading]

PALAPYE: The dream has been fulfilled at last. What remains is the hand over of the institution.

When the initial take-off of 2007 elapsed, some ‘Doubting Thomases’ were beginning to suspect that the project would never see the light of the day. Minister of Education and Skills Development, Jacob Nkate admitted that government was initially not aware of the magnitude of the project and that set date was both ambitious and unrealistic.

However, euphoria was written all over as Nkate, performed ground breaking ceremony paving the way for the construction of the long awaited Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) here in Palapye. All eyes are now on the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction to deliver “an aesthetically appealing university on time, on schedule and on budget and road solid university,” said Minister Nkate.

He called on the contractor not to compromise quality. He underscored the importance that [continue reading]

SEROWE – Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Jacob Nkate, says the construction of Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) comes after a lengthy nationwide process of consultation with Batswana.

He said the consultation process allowed the latter the opportunity to make an input and hence every citizen could call the project his or her own.

He further applauded the local communities for their approval and support for the initiative.

“I wish to extend my sincere thanks to Kgosi Sediegeng Kgamane, Kgosi Ntebele and other Dikgosi for their visionary leadership, contribution and support towards the success of this project,” he said.

He also acknowledged the families who allowed the exhumation and relocation of their dead relatives in order to give way to the development of the university, saying the sacrifices that these families made were priceless and were an indication that they were committed to the future of [continue reading]

SEROWE – The first phase of the construction of the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) is expected to commence in two- weeks time.

Briefing the media before the groundbreaking ceremony, the founding Vice Chancellor, Professor Kweku Bentil said his team was ensuring that the first phase of the project was contemporary and addresses the entire essential needs of the staff and the students.

This phase encompasses, among others, the administration block, staff houses, laboratories, classrooms, halls of residence for the students, the auditorium and the bookstore.

Professor Bentil said this phase, would be wholly funded by the government.

He further stated that the process of soliciting private partners was ongoing and that so far eight partners have shown interest and they will be invited to submit their final proposals.

Professor Bentil said due to the magnitude of the project, the partners were a combination of [continue reading]

LOBATSE: The High Court in Lobatse has dismissed the case in which construction company, Stocks and Stocks is fighting over the P429 million tender for the construction of Botswana International University of Science and Technology in Palapye.

Yesterday, Justice Singh Walia ordered each party to bear its own costs for the application. Last week, Stocks and Stocks applied for an interdict against the bid winner, China Civil Engineering, the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB), and the Building and Engineering Services/Ministry of Education after losing the tender.

But Walia said Stocks and Stocks was properly disqualified for non-compliance with the requirements of the invitation to tender as regards registration to the subcontractor and the peremptory provisions of the law.

The High Court in Lobatse is today expected to deliver judgement in a case in which Stocks $ Stocks is fighting over the P429 million tender for the construction of Botswana’s second university in Palapye.

The court case was heard by Justice Walia last week. Three interested parties are opposing the Stocks & Stocks’ application for interdict, namely the bid winner, China Civil Engineering, the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB), and the Building and Engineering Services/ministry of Education.

Stocks & Stocks are arguing that they were not informed that they lost the bid. They also argue that the evaluating committee did not consider each and every appendix they submitted before disqualifying it.

The applicants also argue that it is unreasonable adherence to fixed principle to require that bidders have their documents certified by the issuing authority and that disqualification for failure to do so is preference of [continue reading]

The first batch of 1,000 students at Botswana University of Science and Technology (BIUST) expected in March 2011, Vice Chancellor Professor Kweku Bentil has announced.

He made the announcement when addressing members of the Rotary Club in Gaborone on Friday. Bentil added that as the university grows it will accommodate 3,000 students and later 6,000 students and intakes will be done thrice in a year. He said that is international practice for universities worldwide.

He said that BIUST would be offering different courses from those being provided by the University of Botswana (UB). He said that the UB students who will be completing in 2011 would not relocate to BIUST as the UB Faculty of Engineering will not be relocating.

Apparently the Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA), which was also scheduled to relocate to Palapye, will no longer do so.
Bentil said that the [continue reading]